May 15, 2022

Logistical hurdles can sometimes ruin an otherwise promising vacation. No traveller wants to be bogged down by time-consuming research on the best facilities, flights, destinations, accommodations, and other amenities. 

We never want to be the saps booking the most expensive flights due to ignorance of other cheap available options to the same destination. 

Wouldn’t it be nice to have an assistant at hand who not only shows you all the available options but also updates you of any price changes?

That is where travel apps come in handy. In a world where everyone seeks to have the most efficient methods at their disposal in all aspects of their lives, these apps make planning your vacation a breeze.

The software is not only free, but it is also compatible with most mobile devices. More than that, each is designed to render accurate information on its area of focus.

Some of the leading free travel apps for download when travelling are as follows: 

Skyscanner

Skyscanner is a tool that eases your search for affordable flights and accommodation in different destinations. 

The metasearch engine renders comparative options when searching for flights, car rentals, and hotels.

It operates by scanning the web to show you what different travel agencies and other service providers offer for the type of service you seek. 

Available in more than 30 languages, the app provides ease of planning whether you speak Chinese, German, or various other languages.

Presently, the platform enjoys more than 100 million users monthly, a testament to its dependability. 

It makes it easy to plan a trip to some of the world’s most popular destinations. 

So, be it a wildlife safari to Nairobi, Kenya or an art tour of Rome, you can always be sure of knowing where to find the best deals.

You have the option of filtering your search according to either the best deals, the fastest deals or the cheapest deals.

Since the platform does not impose any markup fees, you are assured of paying the actual price charged by a particular service provider.

Airbnb

For travellers looking for vacation rentals and homestays, Airbnb is the best app when conducting your search. 

It is an online marketplace where vendors of these services list their offerings and their respective prices. 

The platform supports vendors from all over the globe and is the best tool for all classes of travellers as you can obtain accommodations suited to your preferences at a budget tailored to your pocket.

Airbnb listings range from luxury villas in Malindi, Kenya, to cosy apartments and cottages suited to the average backpackers.

Some Airbnb hosts will even offer complimentary airport pickups and drop off or may partner with a travel agency to facilitate efficient and comfortable safari transportation for you.

As with all the smartphone travel apps on this list, you will be able to know the cost upfront and have a clear image of the facility before committing to paying for it.

The platform also allows reviews from both the vendors/hosts and the guests, making it easy for you to gauge the sort of experience you are likely to have at a given facility.

Tripadvisor

Tripadvisor is the ultimate go-to tool whenever you wish to know which destinations offer particular experiences. 

Since the search results have corresponding user reviews, you can know what you will find in particular destinations and whether the trip is worth it.

It also informs you of the accurate opening times for given attractions, thus enabling you to make informed choices regarding your visits. 

Unlike some other apps, which only show you the major attractions, Tripadvisor also includes smaller gems that you can check out while visiting your safari locale. 

Should you need a map to guide you to a given location, the app provides one, thereby saving your time in finding the place.

While most users utilise the app to learn about exciting destinations, it can also advise you on a wide range of affiliated aspects concerning your trip. For instance, you can link yourself up with professional travel guides.

You may also use it to check on tours and tickets, restaurants, vacation rentals, and hotels.

Google Translate

Gone are the ancient days when visitors had to have a working knowledge of the primary language spoken in the places they intended to visit.

Thanks to Google, you can now get by with some basic grasp of a foreign language and still enjoy a fruitful holiday while at it.

As the name suggests, Google Translate is a mobile application that helps you to translate written texts from one language into another.

It is a multilingual translation device capable of conveying translations in 38 languages. 

It works using your phone's camera, and all you need to do is point your phone towards the information whose translation you need and voila, the text is rendered in your preferred language!

Google translate is a nifty tool when navigating your way in a foreign city as, despite the language barrier, you can swiftly decode road signs, menus, notices and other brief texts.

Google Maps

You have booked your wildlife safari to Kenya, but how do you navigate your way from Nairobi to Masai Mara? Or better, how do you know which way to take your toyota land cruiser - the most common car used for game drives - inside the park? Welcome to Google Maps. 

The free app gives visitors unfamiliar with a locale a detailed geographical outlay and quickly finds their destination.

It can give a street view of the location to have prior knowledge of how the place looks.

More importantly, Google Maps also alerts you of nearby landmarks with which you can ascertain your bearings when on the ground. 

For those challenged with map reading, the app’s step by step audio directions on how to get to a particular destination will come in handy.